The Royal Government Adopts the Draft of a Policy about the Development of Ethnic Minority Tribespeople - 25 April 2009

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Posted on 26 April 2009
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 609

“Phnom Penh: The Royal Government adopted a draft for a policy about the development of ethnic minority tribespeople in an attempt to promote their knowledge and skills, in order to enhance their capacity, and to promote their living standard through sustainable development which completely depends on the use of natural resources.

“During the meeting of the Council of Ministers in the morning of 26 April 2009 under the presidency of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen, the draft of a policy about the development of ethnic minority tribespeople, drafted by the Ministry of Rural Development with assistance from the United Nations Development Program, from development partners, and from some other relevant institutions, was adopted in order to contribute to maintain, protect, and conserve the cultures, traditions, beliefs, customs, and languages of ethnic minority tribespeople living in Cambodia.

“During that meeting, also another draft for the registration of land and the rights of land use of the ethnic minority tribespeople’s communities in the Kingdom of Cambodia was adopted, to present perspectives, intentions, and legal requirements for the registration of land by the ethic minority tribespeople’s communities, land that can be registered as collective property, with collective rights of use, and control of the land by ethnic minority tribespeople.

“At the end of the meeting, a draft decree about procedures for the registration of ethnic minority tribespeople’s land, aiming to define principles, mechanisms, and procedures for the registration of ethnic minority tribespeople’s land as collective property was adopted. As for the rights to use and to control the land, the communities are eligible to have collective property, as recognized by the law, such as right of inheritance, the right to use, and the right to exploit, but all collective property cannot be sold or transferred to any person who is a member of the community, except if any member of a community leaves that community.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4877, 25.4.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 25 April 2009

The two faces of Siem Reap

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The author Tingting Cojuangco at the Bayon Temple with Police Superintendent Wilson Soliba


http://www.philstar.com
A COMMITMENT By Tingting Cojuangco
Updated April 26, 2009

MANILA, Philippines – It was a Saturday and we decided to go to the anticipated Mass at the modest wooden edifice more like a house than a Catholic church in Siem Reap. The Catholic community whose patron saint is John the Apostle is composed of 300 souls and hears Mass in two Catholic churches while sitting on floor mats. One of the Catholic churches was once a karaoke bar on the floating village of Chong Kneas where 70 locals now attend the services. Appropriately, their patron saint is St. Peter the Fisherman.

Siem Reap possesses two faces. Dusty and rural yet cosmopolitan with 200 luxury hotels for Hollywood teams, backpacking tourists, old and young and leaders of different countries they all converge for national security strategies, traveling miles to see the Angkor Wat in Siem, western Cambodia. The temple ruins of Angkor date from the 9th to 13th century during the Khmer empire and rank among the world’s most magnificent architectural wonders in stone.

With the influx of tourists, shopping is inevitable. A discount beyond one half of the merchandise cost can be had. Haggling goes on like in any Oriental country amid laughter and cajoling, lessening the tension and adding to the persuasion.

The city is surrounded by quaintness. High ceilings in eateries, electric fans turning around and around lazily with few air-conditioners about, floor-to-ceiling louvered windows, open balconies, tiled floors with diamond and flower designs, palm trees in huge ceramic plant boxes. The gentle people are used to foreigners so that no one whistles at Europeans in short shorts, sandals or T-shirts that show off heavy or slight breasts. Or at European women alone at night acquiring the day’s losses at prices unbelievably cheap, or riding the tuk tuk in harem pants such as those on the wall carvings of Angkor.

I just fell in love with Siem Reap, so much so that my staff teased me about Siem being my former residence in some lifetime in the 12th century when Suryavarman II was king in his temple capital city. It’s lured me for years and has become an obsession.

Before a trip, I reach for a history book and a map. It’s the ideal way to understand the place and people’s characters. I know, for instance, that I can’t go to Burma straightaway without passing through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Neither could I go to Cambodia without passing China, Korea and Bangkok. That’s why airline tickets become expensive. In that group of countries huddled together, traveling is cheaper, convenient and swifter. In our case, we fly over islands detached from each other. One hour and we’re still over the Philippine islands.

Angkor Wat has enticed me for years. It didn’t seem like I drove my travel agent and her assistant, Maritess Palanca and Trina Avila of Regal Travel, nuts. How understanding and composed they were as I changed travel dates so many times.

Seeing an opening in my schedule, I decided to see the temples. The ones I saw were dedicated to the Hindu gods, one of them Vishnu. Through centuries, Angkor has signified Mt. Meru, home of Indian mythology. History classes taught me that he was the essence of all beings, the master of and beyond, and the creator and the destroyer. I saw him on bas-reliefs. The Angkor later honored Buddhism.

I recalled literature classes under Cynthia Rivera and how interesting she made the deities appear, disguised as snakes, monkeys and elephants. How I memorized and conjured in my head images of lounging royalty and fierce battles in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita and then there was Vishnu again as Rama and Krishna with Brahma as the creator. Teachers can rouse the imagination and inspire or they can humiliate and discourage as well!

I had to acquire some form of memorabilia to bring home. It was elephant bone carved and polished to appear like tusks. I bought them for door handles. I needed and wanted a red thread on my wrist and it was placed by a Buddhist monk in a temple. You can get what you want if you put your heart to it.

The trips I just made to Cambodia enriched my prehistory collection with a few mementos to link the Philippines with Cambodia and our Asian neighbors. They are artifacts of the early Metal Age. I never thought I’d walk into an antiquity store with a sidewalk display of excavated glass, and gold and brass rings that excited me. Beautifully carved heavy jade were the same as the Lingling-O pendants still worn by our Ifugao tribes and split earrings were evidence of our Bronze Age settlements and that of Southeast Asia’s. I bought iron pellets with inscriptions like what I had bought years ago in Johor, Malaysia’s market.

And lo and behold, fashion lives in Siem Reap! I met Ricco Ocampo’s friends Loven Ramos, an independent PR and artist with Dawn who works at Hotel de la Paix. Both Loven and Dawn brought me to Eric Raisina, who devotes himself to developing Cambodian silk, weaving and dyeing it in his residence-shop. Another gown’s design is of raffia in flowerettes from Madagascar attached by crochet. His famous “silkfur” is executed by cutting out the silk in short strips and sown in rows and rows to make jackets look like fur. It’s become a sought-after design in Parisian fashion houses.

The exhibit at Raffles Hotel of Buddha intrigued me with its hand gestures. The Meditation Buddha’s hands are resting together on the lap, a position assumed by the Buddha when meditating under the pipal tree, and adopted since time immemorial by yogis.

We became younger again in Siem just walking and eating and listening to our guide Sok’s historical anecdotes while driving away insistent children selling magazines, slippers, soft drinks and T-shirts.

It is a charming place, even if your blush-on comes off from the heat, even if the machine for credit cards takes a while to work, even if dollars are favored over riel so that you regret changing your American cash to local money, and even if your feet begin to toast in the heat.

Cambodia: Doubts over the Khmer Rouge Tribunal

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Globel Voices
http://globalvoicesonline.org
Saturday, April 25 , 2009
by Chhunny Chhean

The Khmer Rouge Tribunal is now weeks into its first trial with the prosecution of Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, for crimes against humanity and war crimes. But as the trial continues, many wonder how effective the Tribunal will be in achieving national reconciliation, one of the goals of the project. Two major problems are allegations of corruption related to Tribunal funds and the limited number of indictments.

The corruption charges against the Cambodian government concern misuse of Tribunal funds, which were mostly donated by other countries. News reports are available here and here as well as an interview with the lawyer defending Nuon Chea, one of the defendants awaiting trial, posted at CAAI News Media.

Another issue for the Tribunal is that so few of the Khmer Rouge members will be put on trial. The scope of indictments is limited to the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

KI Media posted a piece by retired professor A. Gaffar Peang-Meth from the University of Guam, in which he writes:

The trouble is, the trial of a mere five Khmer Rouge leaders for the death of about two million people in 1975-1979 is far from adequate to bring justice and national reconciliation to Cambodians, to begin healing and promote peacebuilding in the country.

Sopheap Chak does not believe the Khmer Rouge Tribunal will bring justice, in part, because:

The foreign countries that supported the Khmer Rouge, or acted as the main catalyst for the emergence of this cruel regime, will not be brought to court. The tribunal’s regulations indicate clearly that only individuals who committed crimes will be tried.

Chak also does not believe the Tribunal will be able to reconcile the country:

For Cambodian society, real reconciliation will be found only when trust returns between individuals; when they can smile at and trust each other again. Thus, a national dialogue or truth commission should be set up so that people, especially the victims, can fully participate to address their suffering and their needs.

Cambodian break-dancers to visit Philadelphia

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©2009 STUART ISETT / www.isett.com
Tiny Toones dancers often do outreach along Phnom Penh's riverfront through performance. The hip-hop troupe was founded by a Cambodian refugee who found disciples among the young and poor in Cambodia after he was deported from the U.S. in 1994.


The Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com

By Robert Moran
Sat, Apr. 25, 2009
Inquirer Staff Writer

They are being called the first generation of hip-hop stars in Cambodia. Some were street kids from homeless families. Others were abandoned or orphane
They are Tiny Toones, a troupe of break-dancers - B-Boys and B-Girls in street lingo - and seven representatives are to arrive in Philadelphia today as part of their first tour of the United States.

How they got to Philly is a story with roots in Phnom Penh and in Long Beach, Calif., and involves a notorious street gang, YouTube, and the Cambodia Association of Greater Philadelphia.

Tiny Toones was founded by Tuy "KK" Sobil, 30, a Cambodian who was born in a Thai refugee camp and grew up in Long Beach, where, as a teen, he became a popular break-dancer.

He also became a member of the Crips gang, and eventually was incarcerated on an armed-robbery conviction.

Afterward, he was deported to Cambodia. He found himself living in a poor country he had never been in before.

As he tried to find his way in Phnom Penh, his western apparel and many tattoos captivated local youths.

"The word got out with the kids that KK knew how to break dance and that he was a famous break-dancer," said Mia-lia Kiernan, 25, youth advocacy program coordinator for the Cambodia Association of Greater Philadelphia.

KK told them he wasn't interested.

"He was already pretty depressed about being in Cambodia in the first place, as he had to leave his family and everything, but eventually gave in," she said.

"The Cambodian kids are finding hip-hop as a voice to express their feelings and their stories," said Vyreak Sovann, 28, a Cambodian American who helped organize the Philadelphia part of the tour.

Sovann, who like Sobil was born in a Thai refugee camp and came to United States as a toddler, discovered Tiny Toones on YouTube while doing Internet research about his Cambodian heritage.

"I was so moved by it, because I saw these kids break dance in Cambodia without shoes, and I was like, 'Wow!' " said Sovann, a former break-dancer.

At first, Sobil taught a handful of children in his apartment. As Tiny Toones gained recognition, it got funding from an international aid organization called Bridges Across Borders to open a multi-service center.

"We have helped Tiny Toones develop a child-protection and education program that has benefited thousands of vulnerable children and youth in Phnom Penh," said David Pred, director of Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia, in an e-mail from Cambodia.

"It is a shame and somewhat ironic that KK was unable to obtain a U.S. visa to be there with the kids," Pred wrote.

The Tiny Toones multi-service center offers classes in English and Khmer, HIV/AIDS awareness, and job and computer skills.

And, of course, lessons in break dancing.

Kiernan has been following KK and Tiny Toones for four years, and she got to meet Sobil on one of her annual trips to visit her mother in Cambodia.

In fall, she saw an article in the New York Times about KK and Tiny Toones. It mentioned simply that the club had been invited to the United States.

"I e-mailed KK right away and said, well, if you're going to be in the U.S., why don't you come to Philly?" Kiernan recalled.

Kiernan was paired with Sovann, and they have helped to organize a series of performances, fund-raisers and workshops with local break-dancers.

Tiny Toones' first appearance will be at a fund-raiser at noon today at the Khmer Art Gallery at 319 N. 11th St.

The troupe of teenagers includes (using their B-Boy names) Fresh, Homey, T-boy, Khay, Suicide, and K'dep, a rapper. The lone B-Girl is Diamond.

Kiernan yesterday planned to pick up the Tiny Toones in New York and bring them to Philadelphia today on a Chinatown bus.

During their visit here, which will last until Wednesday morning, the dancers will be staying at Kiernan's South Philadelphia home.

"My whole living room is going to be one big air mattress," she said, laughing.

Tiny Toones
For more information about the Tiny Toones dance troupe, go to: www.tinytoonescambodia.com

Angkor worth the angst

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The Windsor Star
http://www2.canada.com

Elaine O'Connor, CanWest News Service
Published: Saturday, April 25, 2009

I'm two hours into a back-road motorcycle ride through the Cambodian countryside -- wind cutting the baking 34-degree heat, dust flying up from the road -- and as I ride I'm treated to a parade of rural Khmer life.

Two women bicycle by in peaked straw hats, a farmer passes with a load of hay strapped to his scooter, another hauls a slaughtered hog, kids ride three to a bike, parents with toddlers sit four to a scooter.

With every teeth-rattling, spine-shattering swerve, I remember my airport taxi driver's ominous warning after I landed in Siem Reap. Three tourists die every month trying to see the wats (temples) from the back of a scooter, he said. I thought he was just trying to land a gig as my chauffeur.

Now, I'm not so sure.

But the effort to uncover Angkor's Beng Malea -- a remote 12th-century forest shrine more than 60 kilometres from the heart of the ancient city of Angkor, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site -- proves well worth my bruised tailbone.

Angkor, Cambodia's star attraction, is considered the seventh wonder of the world, and its archeological mysteries lure four million visitors a year.

The temples of Angkor ("holy city" in Khmer) were built between the ninth and 13th centuries when the kingdom was at its height, with a million people.

It was the seat of the Khmer empire, whose influence extended into Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, and it was the region's most sophisticated city for over 500 years. Archeologists believe it was the largest pre-industrial city in the world.

Beng Malea is a massive, kilometre-square crumbling monument strewn with tumbled rocks the size of small cars set quietly in the jungle. It was built by King Suryavarman II, who also built Angkor Wat. But in contrast to Angkor Wat's tourist throngs and iconic status, Beng Malea seems forsaken, lost and abandoned.

Cambodia itself has profoundly struggled, and tourism to its ruins is just beginning to help it rebuild.

The nation of 14 million was bombed during the U.S. war in Vietnam to flush out Viet Cong, creating two million refugees. A famine followed in 1975 and that same year the rebel Khmer Rouge took power. Pol Pot's Communist Party renamed the country Kampuchea and one to three million people were tortured, slaughtered or died from lack of food or medicine. A Vietnamese invasion in the late 1970s ousted the regime, but 1999 was the first full year of peace in 30 years.

The development and dollars that accompany tourists to Angkor Wat -- arguably the country's top renewable resource -- seem to be having a positive impact.

Angkor Wat itself, the world's largest religious building, makes a profound impact.

The temple was begun in 1112 by King Suryavarman II to honour the god Vishnu and serve as his crypt.

Today, most tourists see it by sunrise or sunset, watching the light pick out details in the 65-metre high stone prasats (towers) and staying to examine the intricate bas-reliefs of devas and asuras (gods and demons) and 2,000 apsaras (divine nymphs) that decorate the palace.

It can be exhausting playing amateur archeologist all day in the 30-degree heat but Siem Reap has lots to offer in the way of rejuvenation.

The city comes to life after sunset and though Siem Reap is a small town, restaurants, night markets and street stalls in the tourist-centric core remain lively well after midnight.

Start the evening with a leisurely dinner in the air-conditioned Angkor Palm restaurant near the Psar Chaa (Old Market) and admire the delicate silk wall hangings before tucking in to a Khmer feast featuring the Cambodian national dish, fish amoc.

The creamy coconut-milk fish curry is served with jasmine rice, and the restaurant offers a host of other Asian bites, from pumpkin soup to a spicy papaya salad called bok l'hong and a peppery beef dish called lok lak.

French colonial roots run deep in Cambodia, so good bread here is almost as common as rice, and vendors balance baguettes on their heads on their morning rounds.

For a taste of colonial cuisine try Le Malraux (named for French adventurer Andre Malraux, arrested for stealing temple bas-reliefs in the 1920s), for salade Parisienne, salmon rillettes and cream puffs amid Art Nouveau interior.

Stop for dessert at the Blue Pumpkin cafe, which offers exotic ice cream flavours like banana galangal, green lemon and Kaffir lime, and ginger and black sesame.

End your day with a drink on the terrasse of the Red Piano, a restored French Colonial home with a sweeping corner balcony. Raise a glass of Angkor or Chang brand beers or sip a Tomb Raider cocktail (the restaurant was known as the place Jolie and crew hung out during filming) and toast to the spirit of Cambodia, to the beauty of Angkor, and to the adventurer in you.

IF YOU GO

- Passes to Angkor are sold at the gate of the archeological park for US$20 for one day, $40 for three days and $60 for a week. A three-day pass will give you time to see the central temples and to explore the countryside to see more remote treasures.

- Prepare for extreme heat -- high SPF sunblock, wide-brimmed hats, long sleeves, sunglasses and litres of bottled water are crucial. After 10 a.m. the heat is unbearable. Hydrate early and often.

- Don't bother stocking up on Cambodian currency (the Riel; about 3,300 Riels to C$1) before your trip. Most prices are stated in U.S. dollars and ATMs dispense cash in U.S. dollars. Locals prefer dollars, though they will accept riels.

- Learn more at Tourism Cambodia: www.tourismcambodia.com.

Council Approves Plan for Minorities

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By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh 24 April 2009

The Council of Ministers approved a development policy for ethnic minorities on Friday, which officials hope will lead to more training and expertise for the country’s non-Khmer groups.

The policy is aimed at protecting the cultures, traditions, language, customs and beliefs of groups such as the Phnong, Hmong, Kampun and Steang hill tribes of the northeast.

“This policy is aimed at the improvement of the capacity and knowledge of the minorities, to have the ability to improve their living through sustainable development based on the use of the natural environment,” the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

Dam Chanthy, who is a Kampun member and chairman of the Highlander Association in Ratanakkiri, called the new policy import for the development of minority groups.

“We have a clear law, and we have real principles in the implementation for the minorities, and we hope that the government will take this policy to develop the minority communites and allow them to have a job when they have the ability,” she said. “And they can improve their livings properly, like other Cambodians. So I think the policy is good, and I support this policy.”

Tep Borin, a member of the Indigenous Community Support Organization, also in Ratanakkiri, said the policy marked a path for “the government to help the minorities.”

“A clear policy is a tool to help minorities properly live with their traditions and cutlues,” he said. “When the government sets up such policies, it means the government is thinking of the minorities.”

Cambodia: ADRA First to Respond to Needs of Fire Survivors

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24 Apr 2009

Source: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International

Nadia McGill

Website: http://www.adra.org

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

Previous | Next

ADRA International

SILVER SPRING, Md.--On April 16, a deadly fire broke out in an impoverished neighborhood of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, killing one person, destroying nearly 100 homes, and displacing more than 1,120 people. To help survivors recover, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) launched an immediate emergency response, providing food and shelter for 250 families left homeless by the fire. In the aftermath of the disaster, ADRA met with community and district leaders to identify the most pressing needs, which included the distribution of food kits stocked with rice, sugar, salt, oil, fish, noodles, and soy sauce, and plastic tarpaulins. The distribution was implemented in partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cambodia, and received funding from ADRA International, the ADRA Asia Regional office in Bangkok, Thailand, and ADRA Cambodia. Following another fire in April 2008, ADRA also provided emergency food and shelter for 2,400 residents in another section of Phnom Penh. That blaze, which began at 5 a.m. in a community of makeshift structures, destroyed 450 homes. To send your contribution to ADRA's Emergency Response Fund, please contact ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or give online at www.adra.org. ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity. Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org. Author: Nadia McGill

See Cambodia’s largest sacred monument

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Easier
http://www.easier.com

24 April 2009

Leading Asia specialist, Travel Indochina, has just introduced a series of tailor-made private day tours in Cambodia, giving its customers a spectacular opportunity to see Angkor Wat, the world’s largest sacred monument, away from the masses.

Among the options available are a new walking tour, a ‘free’ trip in a hot air balloon and an amazing helicopter ride, or better still, customers can opt for all three as part of the operator’s 4-day “Alternative Angkor” private package*.

The “Angkor Walking Tour” is a unique experience offered exclusively to Travel Indochina’s customers and begins at the less-visited section of Angkor Thom city. Unlike other tours, this addition to Travel Indochina’s programme avoids the crowds often associated with this popular tourist attraction – in fact Travel Indochina’s guests are likely to share this experience solely among their immediate travelling companions.

The day includes an invigorating walk through the jungle to the various ancient temples within the walls of Angkor Thom city. Guests will have an opportunity to walk 3km along the top of the 5 metre-wide city wall which is a wonder in itself, remaining in near-perfect condition since its construction in the late 12th century.

The more adventurous may prefer one of the “Angkor from the Air” alternatives. With an opportunity denied to other visitors, Travel Indochina’s knowledgeable tour guides are able to gain exclusive access, for their customers, to the eastern entrance of the mesmerising Angkor Wat. A pre-dawn departure enables customers to see the wondrous temple at sunrise via a short tuk-tuk ride and torch-lit approach through the jungle – an experience they’ll never forget.

One of the highlights of the day is a ride in a fixed-cable hot air balloon, reaching a height of 200 metres and allowing guests to take in the unforgettable vista of this sacred monument and its surroundings. The day continues at the jungle-enveloped Ta Prohm, one of the most atmospheric of all the temples in Angkor.

For the ultimate thrill, guests can upgrade the “Angkor from the Air” package to include an exhilarating helicopter ride, providing breathtaking views of the mesmerising Angkor complex. Chris Orme, Travel Indochina’s general manager comments:

“Travel Indochina prides itself on creating unique experiences for our customers to make their holiday truly memorable – we are the only tour operator to have access to the eastern entrance of Angkor Wat and the addition of our ‘Alternative Angkor’ package and new day tours perfectly completes the ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.”

The 4 day, 3 night “Alternative Angkor” package costs £295 per person (based on 2 pax) and includes private transfers, 3 nights’ accommodation, a full day’s ‘Angkor Walking Tour’** and a full day ‘Angkor from the Air’*** including a free hot air balloon ride. Helicopter ride upgrades cost £115 per person.

One free night’s accommodation is also offered for all bookings made before the end of September 2009.

For more information and reservations, visit travelindochina.co.uk.

Dengue Fever gives rock its own Cambodian spin

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KEVIN ESTRADA, Dengue Fever
http://www.2theadvocate.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
By JOHN WIRT

Long-distance passion that won’t be denied erupts brilliantly in Dengue Fever’s Cambodian-spiced, mini-epic love song, “Tiger Phone Card.” Separated by oceans and continents, an American boy and Cambodian girl express the anguish of separation and ecstasy of reunion.

A duet starring singer-guitarist Zac Holtzman and Cambodian native Chhom Nimol, “Tiger Phone Card” is track No. 3 on Dengue Fever’s latest album, Venus On Earth. In another radio era, the song’s Asian-American ’60s psychedelic pop-rock sound might well have made it a Top 40 hit.

“I wouldn’t have been complaining, that’s for sure,” Dengue Fever bassist Senon Williams said of such speculative success.
Inspired by Cambodian pop-rock music of the 1960s that was, in turn, inspired by American pop and rock broadcast from South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, brothers Ethan and Zac Holtzman co-founded Dengue Fever in 2001. Seeking authenticity, they auditioned singers in Long Beach, home to a large Cambodian community.

The band found Chhom Nimol. A star in her homeland who’d performed for Cambodian royalty, she spoke no English.

“Nimol thought we were really strange,” Williams said. “Whenever we rehearsed she’d bring three to 15 people along to these little rehearsal spaces down in Long Beach. There were people on the couch, reading books, playing cards. Nimol brought her posse to make sure nothing strange happened.”

Chhom eventually grew more trusting of her American band mates but even now she lives primarily in her Cambodian community and speaks English only when she’s with the band.

Dengue Fever’s 2003 debut, featuring remakes of Cambodian classics from the ’60s, is a tribute to Western-influenced musicians who were killed during dictator Pol Pot’s murderous Khmer Rouge regime. The band’s 2007 follow-up, Escape from Dragon House, contains original songs sung in Khmer while 2008’s Venus On Earth features several songs in English.

Dengue Fever’s latest release, DVD-CD set Sleepwalking Through The Mekong, offers a documentary film about the band’s 2005 visit to Cambodia.

“The best thing about the film is that it’s not a bunch of us running around with a video camera shooting ourselves,” Williams said. “We worked with a small Cambodian crew and an experienced filmmaker. It’s a really beautiful film.”

Of course, there were challenges.

“In Cambodia, they just say, ‘Show up and it will be fine,’” Williams said. “We were like, ‘Well, we need to know that we have a show, a stage, PA system.’ They said, ‘Don’t worry. Just show up.’ We realized that we weren’t gonna be able to arrange things through phone calls and emails, so we sent Zac out there two weeks early to set things up.”

The band’s investors also required a shooting schedule. The musicians and director John Pirozzi crafted a plan that they knew might have little to do with reality.

“Everybody thought we had a movie before we thought we had a movie,” Williams said.

The reality Dengue Fever found, including a televised performance from the country’s most watched television station and a concert in Phnom Penh’s Tonle Bassac ghetto attended by thousands who learned of the show strictly through word of mouth, transcended expectations the band may have had.

“Things turned out differently than the plan but also beautifully,” Williams said.

Villagers make a statement

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PHOTO SUPPLIED
Romam Phel, Kong Yu village representative, shooting Land Lost, Culture Lost last year.
The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Sebastian Strangio and Sam Rith
Friday, 24 April 2009

Locally produced video Land Lost, Culture Lost tells the story of a protracted land dispute with a Ratanakkiri rubber company as seen through villager's eyes

ETHNIC Jarai villagers from Kong Yu, a remote village in Ratanakkiri province, are to visit Phnom Penh for the Monday screening of a locally produced video telling the story of their protracted land dispute with a local rubber company.

Land Lost, Culture Lost, a 27-minute video made by the villagers in their local language, and with English subtitles, presents a role-play showing how local authorities and rubber contractors conspired to separate the community from ancestral land that it claims has been in its possession for centuries.

The community has been fighting for the 450-hectare plot since its alleged purchase by a company owned by Keat Kolney, the sister of Finance Minister Keat Chhon, in 2004. The legal case is currently before the provincial court in Ratanakkiri.

The film, produced onsite in Kong Yu between February and June last year, will be screened by an international audience for the first time at Meta House on Monday evening, and organisers hope the event will be a useful counterpoint to the legal advocacy on behalf of the village.

"The hope is that this is a more direct way for Kong Yu to have a dialogue with this international outside presence," said Daniel Lanctot, a media trainer from the United States who supported the villagers during the filmmaking.

Lanctot said the idea of telling the villager's story through video came after they saw an NGO video focusing on land grabbing in Ratanakkiri and felt that their story was misrepresented.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a sense of owning up to the story and saying that we were duped...
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Their intention, he said, was to tell the story in terms that neighbouring villagers could understand and hopefully prevent a similar fate from befalling other communities.

"They decided they wanted to do a role-play, to target their neighbours more than an international audience," he said. "There's a sense of owning up to the story and saying that we were duped, but that this doesn't have to happen to your community. The end message of the film was very selfless."

Lanctot said the process presented many challenges. In addition to the fact that the village had no electricity, he said many villagers had yet to see a video camera in action and were mystified by images of themselves played back on screen.

"When [villager] Romam Nan was going around taking film, people were standing still - assuming he was taking photos. He would record and then show people their image on the camera, and villagers would freak out and start laughing. There was a real sense of magic that took a lot for people to grasp," he said. "It felt like community theatre."

Despite the fact that none of the Kong Yu community knew how to operate video equipment, Lanctot said he tried to remain as detached from the process as possible.

"I provided training to the village on how to use the camera and was there to support them, but it was entirely their project," he said. But he added that editing - which involved 20 villagers crowding around a laptop hooked up to a car battery - was a necessarily collaborative affair.

"The first English words they learned were ‘OK' and ‘cut'," he said.

Sev Twel, a Kong Yu village representative who plays a rubber company contractor in the video, said the experience of making Land Lost, Culture Lost has finally allowed the community to tell its own story.

"Through the film, we have helped document our experiences for younger generations," he said. "We can show it to high-ranking officials and others who are educated about the law, and ask them to consider whether it is right or not when the authorities and companies conspire to grab land from the people."

Although this was the village's first experience with videography, he said the experience had whetted the appetites of villagers to be involved in more projects.

"We want to make films relating to poverty and the difficulties of people in the village, and our indigenous traditions and habits. We'd like to participate in making as many films as possible," he said.

Whether or not the video has a positive effect as an advocacy tool, Lanctot said that granting the community a voice not mediated by government or NGO officials was an important step forward.

"I think that the most important aspect of doing a video project or making a story is to have it be something the community feels represents them and gives them a voice," he said. "Even if nothing comes out of this, it's something that shows all the effort they've put in."

Arrivals down 3.4 percent in first quarter, says govt

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Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Foreign tourists stroll around the grounds of the Royal Palace this week in Phnom Penh.


The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by May Kunmakara and Kay Kimsong
Friday, 24 April 2009

Latest figures up to March confirm that the sector is in decline as Vietnamese surpass South Koreans as top visitors to the Kingdom

THE Ministry of Tourism on Thursday reported a 3.4 percent drop in foreign arrivals in the first quarter of 2009.

Kong Sopheareak, director of the ministry's Statistics and Information Department, said 622,288 foreigners arrived in Cambodia during the first three months of the year, compared with 644,205 during the same period last year.

The quarter-on-quarter comparison also revealed that Vietnam replaced South Korea as the biggest source of visitors to Cambodia.

The number of Vietnamese arrivals increased by 49 percent, from 53,386 during the first quarter of 2008 to 79,724 in 2009. The number of South Korean arrivals fell from 97,536 during the first quarter of 2008 to 62,633 in 2009.

The number of Japanese arrivals also fell markedly, from 54,149 to 41,745, while the number of American visitors changed only slightly, from 47,612 to 46,616.

The number of arrivals from Thailand fell from 40,611 in 2008 to 27,050 in 2009, making it the eighth-largest supplier of visitors to the Kingdom.

"We have seen that tourists from Vietnam during this quarter have increased, while Thailand has been the opposite," Kong Sopheareak said.

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We are in a stable situation ... there will be a slight increase in unemployment.
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Both Kong Sopheareak and Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said the overall decline was insignificant and paled in comparison to declines seen in other countries, particularly elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

"I don't really think it is a big problem for us," Ang Kim Eang said.

"We are in a stable situation, even though there will be a slight increase in unemployment in the sector. If tourism dropped between 20 and 30 percent, that would be a big problem that we would care about."

He said that the country's political stability was a big factor in its ability to keep visitor numbers fairly level.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said he was encouraged that the sector did not rely solely on arrrivals from Thailand.

"Now, Vietnam is the main tourism source for us," he said.

Looking ahead, he said the ministry planned to target potential visitors in countries that had not been significantly affected by the financial crisis as well as to promote the Kingdom's ecotourism destinations.

"We will also try to make it easier for tourists to make it through border checkpoints, especially from nearby countries," he said.

Air traffic
Local media reported last week that the number of visitors passing through Phnom Penh International Airport dropped by 12.5 percent in the first quarter of 2009, while Siem Reap International Airport experienced a drop of 26 percent.

Mao Havannall, a secretary of state at the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), said he did not believe the decline was so dramatic but that he could not provide exact figures.

"My point of view is that the airline industry won't really be affected much because everyone needs airlines," he said.

Kao Sivorn, director of flight operations at the SSCA, also said he believed air traffic had declined somewhat but not to the extent reported in local media.

For example, he said, airlines that typically offered five flights a week might have dropped down to four.

He also said the recent state of emergency declared in Bangkok had not significantly affected the number of travellers arriving from there, adding that Bangkok Airways did not cancel a single flight.

New envoy, new approach

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Photo by: PHOTO SUPPLIED
Surya Prasad Subedi, a professor of international law at the University of Leeds, will succeed Kenyan national Yash Ghai as the UN's special rapporteur for human rights.

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Sebastian Strangio
Friday, 24 April 2009

Surya Prasad Subedi, the UN's new special rapporteur for Cambodia, talks about his new posting and the challenges ahead.

What is the history of your connection with Cambodia?
As a professor of international and human rights law, I have closely studied the evolving situation in Cambodia for a long time; and throughout my academic career - both at the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands and at several universities in England - I have taught a number of Cambodian students who now occupy high positions in both the government and the non-governmental human rights sector. In addition, I was general editor of the Asian Yearbook of International Law for six years between 1999 and 2006, during which I kept a close eye on the situation in Cambodia and interacted frequently with Cambodian scholars, as one of the objectives of this annual publication is to promote the rule of law in Asian countries.

How do you see your new role?
My objective as an independent, impartial, neutral and professional person would be to help the government of Cambodia to fulfil its obligations under international human rights treaties. I would be taking a constructive and cooperative approach to strengthen the rule of law, promote and protect human rights and make democracy stronger in Cambodia. My task would be to support the government to identify what the human rights challenges are in the country and discuss how to improve the human rights situation for the people of Cambodia. What I would be hoping to do would be to cast an expert eye on the existing constitutional, legal and administrative mechanism relating to the protection and promotion of human rights in Cambodia and offer my own recommendations as an independent expert on how to improve the system.

Cambodia is a country with an ancient and rich civilisation and courageous and resilient people. The future prosperity of Cambodia lies in greater respect for the dignity of each and every national and a higher level of protection of people's rights.

In which area do you think you can have your greatest impact on the human rights situation in Cambodia?
I am still studying the situation in Cambodia and it is perhaps too early for me to pinpoint any particular area at this stage. I am looking forward to visiting Cambodia soon and interacting with the people in the government and with other stakeholders. Once I have completed my visit, I will be able to identify areas in which I can make my contribution.

I imagine there is a fine line between lecturing governments about human rights and making constructive criticisms. How do you perceive this tension?
The very position of a UN special rapporteur is a challenging one - to perform a difficult but honourable task. I regard this as a huge privilege and a great opportunity to make my contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Cambodia. Promoting human rights and speaking for the oppressed, marginalised and disadvantaged people is always a challenge. I am committed to human rights and the rule of law nationally and internationally, and I would do whatever it takes to discharge my responsibilities as effectively as possible. But my approach would be a constructive one - designed to achieve results.

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THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF CAMBODIA LIES IN GREATER RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF EACH AND EVERY NATIONAL ...
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What impact will the UN's new "code of conduct" for human rights rapporteurs have on your work? Do you agree with critics that it decreases the ability of rights envoys to speak out in their countries?
I am not new to the world of international human rights law, but new into the role of a UN special rapporteur. Of course, I will have to operate within the approved policies and practices of the UN for human rights rapporteurs. However, I do not necessarily think that the new "code of conduct" of the UN will limit my ability to fulfil my duties as an independent expert.

More generally, do you feel the new UN Human Rights Council has improved the human rights work of the organisation?
Promoting and protecting human rights is a continuous and challenging task. No organisation is perfect in achieving its objectives, and the Human Rights Council is no exception. However, in spite of some limitations, the council has done a good job and made a good contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.

How else can the UN balance the seeming contradiction between its human rights advocacy work and the fact that so many of its member states are rights abusers?
One of the main objectives of the UN human rights agencies is to make all members of the UN fulfil their obligations they themselves have undertaken under various human rights treaties, and live up to the expectations of their people. The human rights obligations are not imposed on any state by any outside power. Every state promised to abide by the provisions of the Charter of the UN, which includes respect for human rights, when they decided to join this world organisation.

Of course, there are a number of states that are failing in their obligations. The UN is there to identify the reasons for such failings and offer constructive advice to improve the situation in any given country. It should be a collective endeavour to improve the situation in any country - including Cambodia.

Your predecessor Yash Ghai had a notoriously chilly relationship with the Cambodian government. What challenges do you think this will throw up for you?
No doubt that professor Yash Ghai is a very distinguished person with a serious commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. I hold him in very high esteem. I am aware that he did not receive as much cooperation as he would have liked to from the government of Cambodia. That was unfortunate. However, I am hopeful that the Cambodian authorities will cooperate with me. In life, different individuals have different approaches to any given issue, and such an approach is informed by their own experience and background; and so I will have my own approach.

What rights issue do you think is the most pressing in Cambodia today?
In any society those who suffer most from human rights violations are the weaker sections of the population, including children, women, factory workers, those forcibly evicted from their land to make way for the so-called modern development, political leaders who criticise the government for its weaknesses, those who write against the wrongful activities of the people in power and those who champion human rights for a stronger and genuine democracy under the rule of law. I do not think that the situation in Cambodia is very different in this respect.

Therefore, the issues here would be to ensure that the people belonging to these groups can enjoy their human rights and have their dignity protected.

What is your view on the current trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders?
I was glad that after years of effort there is now finally a tribunal that is able to start its work. It is necessary to allow this international-Cambodian tribunal to bring people who were responsible for committing atrocities to justice. This will go some way to delivering justice to the people who are still living with a dreadful past and to healing their wounds. It is in the interests of Cambodia to have this tribunal succeed in its mission: It will send a big message to people that sooner or later if you commit atrocities and violate people's rights you will be brought to justice. It will have a high educational value too, as it will deter people from committing crimes against humanity not only in Cambodia but across the globe.

INTERVIEW BY SEBASTIAN STRANGIO

Opposition claims of 'vote buying' dismissed by CPP

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Photo by: TRACEY SHELTON
Tep Nytha, secretary general of the NEC, during a press conference last month.


The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Vong Sokheng
Friday, 24 April 2009

NEC secretary general says preparations for next month's elections are going smoothly and that voters are registered.

THE SECRETARY general of the National Election Committee said Thursday that preparations for next month's commune council elections were proceeding as planned, despite allegations from the Sam Rainsy Party that the Cambodian People's Party had been trying to persuade opposition commune councillors to vote for it.

Tep Nytha, the secretary general, said all 11,353 commune councillors had been officially registered to vote in the elections, which will see the councillors vote to determine the representation of their respective parties at the higher-level district councils and the municipal and provincial councils.

"We have finished the list of voters and the list of candidates from all political parties, and the process is going smoothly in advance of the campaign, which kicks off on May 2," Tep Nytha said.

But Yim Sovann, an SRP lawmaker and spokesman for the party, said there had been some irregularities with regard to the spelling of voters' names and also accused the CPP of "vote-buying" and intimidation.

"We have received information that the CPP has tried to persuade our council members by offering them positions in the government," he said.

He said the party would gather all of its commune councillors at a meeting on Sunday to "strengthen their political will" and discourage them from "selling their consciences" by voting for the CPP.

He said he expected the party to receive 20 to 30 percent of available seats in the Kingdom's district, provincial and municipal councils.

CPP denial
In a statement posted to its website on Tuesday, the CPP dismissed allegations that it had tried to persuade opposition lawmakers to vote for it and defended the effort of the NEC to run the elections smoothly and fairly.

"Some parties have continued to distort the NEC's responsible effort to organise the elections as well as the CPP's supremacy ... as they have done previously," the statement reads.

Cheam Yeap, a senior CPP lawmaker and member of the party's Central Committee, told the Post on Thursday that the party would hold a two-day conference over the weekend in an effort to shore up support among its commune councillors and articulate a political platform to gain more supporters.

"It is the right of the political parties to criticise, but the CPP does not have a policy of buying votes," he said.

Funcinpec and the Norodom Ranariddh Party will participate in the elections along with the CPP and the SRP.

The Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia released a report in February blasting the elections as meaningless, saying they will hold no interest for the general public.

New Exotissimo Tour Reveals Cultural and Culinary Richness of Cambodia

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Thu Apr 23, 3:01 am ET

There is more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat, as shown by Exotissimo's new tour that spotlights the kingdom's rich culture and cuisine.

Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) April 23, 2009 -- Exotissimo Travel, a leading tailor-made travel company in Southeast Asia, has launched a new 6-day 'Cambodia: Culture & Cuisine' luxury tour.

This tour is recommended for discerning travelers who seek to uncover an ancient civilization through its customs, arts and food. Accompanied by expert guides, travelers will enjoy a stylish journey that includes visiting renowned attractions, exploring undiscovered gems and indulging in gastronomic Khmer delights and is enhanced by stays at top boutique hotels.

The tour begins in the capital of Phnom Penh, a city that is often overlooked as a destination by tourists. Besides a pampering treatment at a top spa, the program also immerses guests in the city's emerging culinary scene with dinners at an established restaurant and a charity-run café. A walking tour allows travelers to navigate the city's distinctive architecture from the 1950s and 1960s as well as iconic landmarks such as the Royal Palace.

From Phnom Penh, a short flight leads to Siem Reap, the gateway to the crown jewel of Cambodia. There, travelers can explore the Angkor temples from the unique vantage point of a helium balloon as it rises above the tree line for aerial views of the awe-inspiring monuments. Visits to lesser known but equally impressive sites such as Banteay Kdei and Srah Srang are also included.

For a deeper insight into Cambodia's culinary traditions, a half-day cooking course with a trained chef is planned. Guests take a guided tour through a local market followed by a hands-on session in preparing signature Khmer dishes. Rural Cambodian living can be viewed in its authenticity as guests sail past flooded forests, schools and temples during the boat trip through the floating village of Kampong Phluck. The trip to Siem Reap also entails visits to handicraft workshops, a silk center and the Angkor National Museum before culminating with a delectable farewell dinner.

"The Angkor temples are definitely worth a stop on any Cambodia travel itinerary. However, travelers have not truly experienced the beauty of Cambodia if temple touring is the only thing they do. Our Exotissimo tour ensures that guests get to see the country's outstanding cultural and culinary legacies without missing out on comfort or value."

To view this itinerary in detail, visit Cambodia: Culture & Cuisine tour

For other touring ideas in Cambodia, visit Cambodia Tours.

About Exotissimo Travel
Exotissimo Travel is a premier destination management company that specializes in tailor made tours in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Established in 1993, the company is now a network of 15 locally-based offices staffing over 500 travel professionals, and sales offices in San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and Melbourne. For more information, please visit www.exotissimo.com.

Stung Meanchey waste to become methane gas, electricity: City Hall

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Photo by: THOMAS GAM NEILSEN
Children collect waste at the Stung Meanchy dump.

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Mom Kunthear
Thursday, 23 April 2009

German company gets contract to convert the dump site's waste into methane, starting in July.

CITY Hall on April 13 approved a German company's proposal to convert waste at the soon-to-be-closed Stung Meanchey dumpsite into methane gas.

The nototious 6.5-hectare dumpsite will be moved to the Cheung Ek area, located 15 kilometres outside the capital, at the end of May. Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said the German company, International Environmental Consulting Company (IECC), will likely begin processing waste from Stung Meanchey in July.

According to IECC representative Detlef Gutjahr, methane gas taken from the dumpsite could be converted into 300 kilowatts of electricity per day, which he said would be enough to serve 3,000 Phnom Penh families.

Gutjahr said the company was committed to processing waste from the dumpsite for the next 15 years.

Kep Chuktema said the cost of the project had not yet been finalised. He said he planned to travel to Germany in May or June to sign a formal agreement with the company.

Dump chief sceptical
Svay Lorn, chief of the Stung Meanchey dumpsite, expressed some scepticism about the feasibility of the company's proposal.

"I don't believe 100 percent that the German company can change the garbage into electricity because I have not seen other countries do it, but I will be happy if our country can," he said.

He said between 1,000 and 1,100 tonnes of waste had been transported to the site each day so far this year, up from 800 to 900 last year.

Police target porn videos

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Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG
A Phnom Penh internet cafe owner demonstrates the ease with which pornographic videos can be loaded on a mobile phone.



The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by May Titthara
Thursday, 23 April 2009

As part of a campaign against racy images, three men in the capital are briefly detained for transferring pornographic videos onto their mobiles.

POLICE on Tuesday briefly detained three men believed to have transferred pornographic videos onto their mobile phones, a move that one official described as the latest development in a national campaign against the proliferation of racy images of women.

The three men, all in their 20s, were picked up by police at a stall near Phsar Doeum Thkov High School in Chamkarmon district, said Keo Thea, head of Phnom Penh's Anti-Human Trafficking Police.

"Since it was their first time being arrested, we just educated them and advised them to stop doing that, and we confiscated the material so it could be destroyed," Keo Thea said.

Suon Vilay, 28, who works at the stall where the arrests occurred, said the business is one in which customers pay to transfer files from a single desktop computer onto their mobile phones.

"Most of my clients are youths, they are students, but sometimes they are old men, too," he said. "I charge 500 riels (US$0.12) for one file, and music is the same price."

A broader effort
The campaign to curtail the proliferation of racy images of women was prompted by remarks from first lady Bun Rany, who in a February speech blamed the Ministry of Information for failing to stamp out such images, particularly in magazines.

"The Ministry of Information has to close magazines that have pornography in order to avoid letting them have a bad impact on readers," she said at the annual meeting of the National Committee on the Promotion of Morality, Women and Family Values in Phnom Penh.

Kong Kanpara, chief of the film department at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said the viewing of pornographic videos on mobile phones was as sinister, and had a similar impact to, broadcasting them in cafes, which is also illegal.

"A lot of suspects in rape cases said they committed their offenses because they watched sex movies," he said.

Minister of Women's Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said the transferring of sex videos was symptomatic of a mentality in which women are viewed "as goods that can be bought on the market".

KR momentos up for sale likely fake, officials insist

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Photo by: KYLE SHERER
Nhem En with his cameras and Pol Pot's purported sandals in Siem Reap.



The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Sam Rith
Thursday, 23 April 2009

Former Tuol Sleng photographer Nhem En is trying to sell what he says are Pol Pot's sandals, Tuol Sleng cameras.

GOVERNMENT officials and members of civil society have expressed doubt over the authenticity of sandals supposedly worn by Pol Pot and a pair of cameras that former Khmer Rouge photographer Nhem En says come from Tuol Sleng prison.

On Sunday, Nhem En said he wanted national and international companies to bid on the shoes, made from tyre rubber, and cameras at a starting price of US$500,000, even though outside sources have not confirmed their provenance.

Youk Chhang, the director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, said it would be difficult to determine if the sandals were actually worn by Pol Pot, for the simple reason that many sandals look the same.

Nhem En was unable to provide the Post with any evidence that the shoes were Pol Pot's or that his cameras had come from the infamous torture centre.

But he disagreed with Youk Chhang, saying that their authenticity could be proven "with modern technology".

The former Tuol Sleng guard who photographed prisoners said he received the shoes in 2000 from General Khim Tean, a former Khmer Rouge army commander, and that he had personally brought the cameras from Tuol Sleng to his father's house in 1977. Many, however, remain sceptical.

"I do not believe [the shoes and cameras] are real, because I have not seen them yet," said Culture Minister Him Chhem.

Pen Samitthy, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists and editor-in-chief of Rasmey Kampuchea, turned down Nhem En's request to hold a press conference announcing the sale. Nhem En said he will hold his own press conference on Friday in Siem Reap.

Mekong dredging continues

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Photo by: SEBASTIAN STRANGIO
Winton Enterprises, a Hong Kong-based company, dredges sand from a Koh Kong estuary for export to Singapore in this file photo.



The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Meas Sokchea
Thursday, 23 April 2009

Villagers living near the Neak Leung ferry in Prey Veng say authorities have ignored sand-dredging operations they claim are causing riverbank collapses.

THE homes, warehouses and farmland of 138 families in Prek Ksay Kor commune in Prey Veng province's Peamro district continue to be threatened by riverbank collapses resulting from sand-dredging operations in the Mekong River, say affected villagers.

Mel Oun, 54, a villager representative, said Wednesday that sand-dredging companies, including the Phal Sareth Import-Export and Tourism Co, had increased their activities along the Mekong close to the Neak Leung ferry crossing, worsening seasonal erosion along the river's banks.

"My banana and cassava farms and the farmland of other villagers has collapsed into the river because of the sand dredging, but no authorities have opened their eyes to the operations, which has caused riverbank collapses and has almost destroyed National Road 11 in this area," he said.

"They are dredging sand for export to Vietnam, which is destroying the homes and farmland of the people."

Uth Thay, 47 a villager in Prek Ksay Kor commune, told the Post that Phal Sareth Co was filling five or six barges per day with sand from the Mekong and was operating within 300 metres of the riverbank.

"My rice paddies and cassava warehouse collapsed into the river because Phal Sareth Co is dredging in this area," she said, adding that authorities were yet to find a solution.

Company and govt ‘conspiring'
In a March 17 speech, Prime Minister Hun Sen warned authorities in Kandal province to advise riverside residents to remove their homes in anticipation of riverbank collapses in the province that locals have blamed on dredging.

Seng Sovann, who owns a rice paddy and cassava warehouse on the riverbank, said sand-dredging operations in Prek Ksay Kor had increased since the prime minister's announcement.

"[The company] brought a little bit of milled rice to give to the people who lost their homes and farmland in the river," he said, but said the gift of 20kg of rice and 10,000 riels (US$2.44), handed out by the company in early March, did not compensate for the loss of land.

"The authorities and company have conspired with each other, and they don't care whether the people benefit," he added.

When contacted Wednesday, Peam Ro district Governor Sao Prasith said only that the case depended on the central government, not the lower authorities.

But Phal Sareth Deputy President Bunchan Kreusna told the Post the company had the proper government licences and it was operating according to the technical regulations laid down by the relevant ministries.

He added that the company had helped many local people. "[The company] has built a hospital, school, streets, [and provided] foods, petrol and fertiliser to villagers in this commune," he said.

"I believe that people are angry with my company because they listened to warehouse owners who incited the people."

Mao Hak, director of the Department of Hydrology and River Works at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, said the company had already been warned and that he would open new investigations.

"We will examine this case next week or next month. We will stop their activities temporarily if we find they have made mistakes," he said.

Epic Arts centre sets new standards for the disabled

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Photo by: VINH DAO/MELON ROUGE
Performers at the new Epic Arts centre in Kampot.

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Nora Lindstrom
Thursday, 23 April 2009

The Kampot-based organisation aims to showcase ability, not disability

Kampot

What started as an idea among three UK friends 15 years ago has become a concrete reality this week as Epic Arts, the Kampot-based organisation for disabled people, opened its new centre.

The large white building, which combines traditional Khmer ornamentation with contemporary design, comprises a workshop studio, visual arts studio, resource room, library and office space.

Katie Goad, artistic director and co-founder of Kampot-based NGO Epic Arts, said the initial design was done with matchsticks, cardboard and cotton wool.

"The matchsticks have become cement - and we're in it," Goad said at the official opening ceremony. "It's quite overwhelming."

Her husband Hallam Goad, who created the original design, teamed with Khmer architect Hang Phyreak of Cambodian Architecture and Construction Company to complete the building within two years of the land purchase.

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When we started designing the centre, accessibility was the key factor...
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With its state-of-the-art access for people with disabilities, the arts centre sets an inspiring standard for accessibility.

Hang Phyreak said it should not be difficult for all new buildings in Cambodia to meet such standards.

"When you build a fully accessible building, there are a few more needs you have to consider than when making a regular building," he said. "But it's not more difficult to build by any means, as we already know what those needs are."

More than 500 guests, including British Ambassador Andrew Mace and Deputy Provincial Governor Tourn Bunthorn, attended the opening extravaganza.

One of the organisation's deaf students, Sovy, said he was very happy to see all the people at the opening.

"Our deaf community here in Kampot has never seen anything like it," he said.
Nadanh, who is in a wheelchair, has been a student at the organisation since 2005.

"We've been waiting for a long time for this new building," he said. "Before, our space was very small and it was difficult to go upstairs in a wheelchair. Now, I can go anywhere."

Epic Arts started its work in Cambodia in 2003 under the motto "See ability, not disability", and has grown steadily ever since.

Epic Arts General Manager Hannah Stevens said the new centre in Kampot, made possible through a donation from the UK-based Angus Lawson Foundation as well as individual contributions, was an important step towards achieving that vision.

"We have a big deaf community that we work with, but not actually that many people with physical disabilities because it was not easy for them to access our old space," she explained.

"When we started designing the centre, accessibility was the key factor. Now you can get anywhere in the building - apart from the water tank on the roof - in a wheelchair."

Epic Arts runs projects aimed at empowering people with disabilities, breaking barriers and normalising the idea of people with disabilities in society.

Goad said the organisation is based on the principle that every person counts.

"We do not want people to be hindered by their disability. Instead, we want to encourage society to see people's ability, not disability," she said.

Goad, who is trained in dance and performs with the students, said she was inspired by her disabled father and stirred by an integrated dance group in her native Britain.

"Through dance, you can communicate through different bodies, through different languages. You don't need words. You just find a common language through movement," she said.

Stevens said one of its key projects was performance advocacy.

"When people watch a performance featuring people with disabilities, they change their idea about disability," she said.

Nadanh agreed: "Sometimes, before I perform, people wonder, ‘Can he do that?'" he said. "But then, they see that I can."